Strawberry Spinach Seeds

Strawberry spinach (Blitum virgatum) is an upright annual of about 50 cm grown for spinach-like leaves and for small red berries that gardeners pick from summer.

Also known as: Leafy goosefoot, Strawberry blite, Echter Erdbeerspinat (German), Épinard-fraise (French), Chenopodium foliosum (older scientific name).

Sow it where it will grow

Strawberry spinach does not transplant well, so sow directly into the bed. Start several weeks before the last spring frost, because the plant tolerates frost and prefers cooler conditions, and repeat sowings until midsummer.

Growing steps

1. Sow about 6 mm (¼ in) deep, 2.5–5 cm apart, in rows 40–45 cm apart.
2. Expect seedlings in 7–14 days.
3. Thin to about 30 cm apart once seedlings have two sets of true leaves.
4. Give full sun, roughly 8–12 hours a day.

Harvest

• Berries: pick from summer to early autumn. They are sweetest when fully ripe and deep crimson.
• Leaves and flower clusters are eaten and resemble spinach.

We have no sourced germination percentage for this lot and do not state one, so thin only after the second pair of true leaves shows which seedlings are strong.

FAQ

Can I start strawberry spinach in trays and transplant it?

It is better not to. The plant transplants poorly, so direct sowing is recommended.

Will it fruit in the year I sow it?

Yes. It is an annual, and berries are picked from summer to early autumn.